F250 radio replacement-dash light problem

[esh21167]

Hi all,

I just installed a cheap replacement Cd/radio in my 1993 F250. I did a bad thing and cut the needed wires off the factory connectors. There were two unused factory wires which I left in the connector. One was for a power antenna (not in this truck) and the other was a dash light dimmer wire. Now I have no dash lights. All the fuses in the panel are OK. I had the battery disconnected during the wiring.

I thought the dimmer wire might need power, but where would that come from? Any ideas?

Thanks.

[pholmann09]

well your factory radio did have a dimmer in it that worked with the dash lights and when you didnt hook it back up you have probably killed the circuit, you need to get your hands on a schematic to see what wire it was and see if you cant hook that back up and your dash lights should then work, It may have one in and one out on the factory radio so you may be able to put them back together as if you bypassed the radio, not sure look at a wiring diagram(chiltons, haynes, etc) in the back of the book.